The story and identity of FIORINA
It all began in the 1970s, when the Piacentini family started a small workshop dedicated to handcrafted women's footwear. From that original vocation came FIORINA, a brand that decided from the outset not to compromise on quality. Production remains rooted in Italy, entrusted to experienced hands that know every stage of the work, from the choice of raw material to the final finish. This is not simply a geographical label: for FIORINA, Made in Italy is a daily practice, a working method reflected in every stitch, every detail, every shoe that leaves the workshop.
What makes a FIORINA shoe instantly recognisable is the tangible quality of the materials. Selected leathers, natural fibres such as raffia worked by hand, refined trims and finishes that stand up to time: every element is chosen with judgement, never favouring quantity over substance. The result is footwear that is a pleasure to wear, that moulds naturally to the foot and that keeps its beauty over the years. Comfort is not an option but the direct consequence of honest, precise workmanship.
On this page FIORINA offers women's wedge sandals, and a wedge is a sole that rises from the heel to the forefoot in a single piece, without the gap that separates a heel from the ball of the foot. It changes the way you walk: the weight is not concentrated under the toes as it is with a heel of the same height, but spread along the length of the foot, and the stated heights — eight and ten centimetres — are worn with a stability no heeled shoe offers. The woven raffia that forms the wedge is a plant fibre and needs treating as one: water stiffens it and frays the edges, so it is dried away from direct heat and brushed dry with a soft bristle rather than washed. Above the wedge sit the leather upper and the strap that holds the instep: this is the detail that decides whether a high sandal can be worn for hours, because without that hold the foot slides forward and the whole load ends up on the toes. Where the product page states a leather insole, the footbed absorbs moisture better than a synthetic one and takes the shape of the foot over time.
